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PIERCETON - With new tests Whitko Community School Corp. is implementing this year, teachers will be able to get results in a matter of days instead of weeks or months.
Bill Hoppus, South Whitley Elementary School principal, said that on Aug. 14 at Whitko Middle School, 34 staff members received training on the Measures of Academic Progress testing that is replacing PAWS testing.
All the testing is computerized. With each correct answer the student gives on the test, the test gets more difficult for the student. If a student answers a question incorrectly, the level of questioning remains about the same.
All the questions are based on Indiana standards.
The scores can help identify gifted and talented students or students who may have difficulty with ISTEP.
A benefit of the testing, Hoppus said, is that they can get a tentative score from the student the day of the testing. A final score can be received in two days instead of weeks or months, he said.
"We are really excited we get this information quickly," said Hoppus.
He said they could test the students up to four times a year if they chose with MAPS, but plan on testing students only twice - once in the fall, once in the spring.
Only a student's parents will get the student's individual scores. How much is reported districtwide is up to Superintendent Jeff Hendrix.
Hendrix said students will be given a brochure to take home that explains the testing.
Pierceton Elementary School will conduct the MAPS testing Aug. 21 through Sept. 5, all day, for grades three through five. SWES will begin the MAPS tests Wednesday. Whitko Middle School will start MAPS today.
"We want to teach them where they are and move them forward," said Hoppus.
In other business, the school board:
• Approved a contract with Kosciusko Community Hospital for KCH to assign a registered school nurse to Whitko Schools for the 2003-04 school year. According to Hendrix, the contract is for 180 days and KCH will do the hiring and evaluation of the nurse. The school board won't be involved in the hiring process.
• Held the 2004 budget, capital projects plan and bus replacement plan hearing. No one from the public spoke regarding the budgets.
The 2004 budget will be adopted at a special meeting Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Whitko Administration Office, Pierceton.
• Approved a resolution for employer participation for Public Employee Retirement Fund for Whitko's non-certified staff members.
• Heard a presentation from Pierceton Elementary School counselor Rhonda Graney on the student council.
For 2-1/2 days, 23 of the 24 elected students stayed at a Warsaw hotel for a student leadership camp. Students worked on leadership, team building and training in peer mediation. The camp was made possible in part through a $1,700 grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
Graney said she is confident the council will be able to accomplish much more this year and she appreciated all the parental support.
• Approved the purchase of three 72-passenger International buses.
• Approved a title change for Joel Yeager from director of technology to director of informational services. With the new title, Yeager will have more responsibilities and a pay increase.
• Approved the employment of Nicole Berger, SWES kindergarten teacher; Marvin McNew, band director at Whitko middle and high schools; and Mike Klein, freshman football coach, WHS.
• Approved a donation from the SWES PTO of the accelerated math program for grades two through five. The math computer program is in line with the state standards. SWES already uses the accelerated reading program.
Members of the Whitko School Board are Pete Mitchell, Michael Braddock, Dave Tranter, E. Marie Trump and Hal Trump.
School principals include Ruth Jones, Pierceton Elementary School; Bill Hoppus, South Whitley Elementary School; Jerry Klausing, Whitko Middle School; and Jim Suding, Whitko High School.
